(16 Apr 1999) Russian/Nat
Hundreds of angry Serb protestors and their Russian sympathisers marched through central Moscow on Thursday to oppose the continuing NATO airstrikes against Yugoslavia.
The protests came on the same day Russia's newly appointed envoy on the Yugoslavia conflict - former premier Viktor Chernomyrdin - promised Moscow would keep up international pressure to halt the NATO strikes.
Serbs living in Moscow gathered outside the Moscow mayor's office, chanting pro-Russian slogans and sporting the same target posters now familiar at Belgrade protests.
The demonstration was a show of solidarity between Russians and Serbs.
Both nations hold strong historical links which have led to the sympathetic policy from Russia towards Serbia.
The radical left-wing "Working Russia" organisation marched to Manezh Square, a stone's throw from the Kremlin.
Their leader, Viktor Anpilov, lead shouts of "Russia! Serbia!".
Hardline opposition groups in Moscow have been calling for Russia to send arms and volunteer fighters to Yugoslavia.
Their mood was strengthened this week when the Belgrade parliament voted in favour of Yugoslavia joining the international organisation linking Russia and Belarus.
SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"I think that only with a brotherly union between Russia, Belarus and Yugoslavia we can live better. It does not mean we are tieing ourselves to another nation. It means some people want to keep silent about this sacred thing our descendants thought about for centuries."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox pop, Moscow Yugoslav
Anti-NATO feelings have been running high in Russia, not just among left-wing groups and Serbians.
If the airstrikes continue, demonstrations like this one are sure to become a familiar sight on Moscow's streets.
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